The talent show launched by the Ji Group has garnered widespread attention, with the first episode's live broadcast generating soaring popularity.
At this moment, Rong Ruoyao's team was performing. Among her group was Lisa, an overseas contestant with a massive fanbase. The moment they appeared on stage, the live viewership skyrocketed, surpassing 500,000.
Under the spotlight, the eight girls shone brilliantly. Their energetic performance was executed flawlessly, with every move perfectly timed, eliciting waves of cheers from the live audience.
"Oh my, Yao Yao's stage outfit is stunning!"
"Lisa's visuals are unreal—her stage presence is off the charts!"
"Yao Yao's fans, let's go! We have to make sure she takes first place!"
"Lisa deserves the top spot, hands down!"
"..."
The fans of both contestants began clashing in the live chat, fueling even more buzz.
Amid the heated arguments, one comment stood out:
"Step aside, everyone—our Rong Yu is the real number one!"
This single remark successfully united the rival fans of Rong Ruoyao and Lisa.
"LOL, who the heck is Rong Yu?"
"Some no-name trash trying to compete with Yao Yao and Lisa?"
"Her profile says she's over 70. Shouldn't this old hag be resting at home instead of wasting her pension here?"
"..."
The screen flooded with insults.
Old Master Ji's face darkened. "Block them! Block every single one!"
Ji Zhiyuan rubbed his temples. "Grandfather, just enjoy the show quietly. Must you stir up trouble?"
The old man shrank back slightly. "I just wanted to support your great-grandmother like everyone else has their fans..."
Amid the chaos, Rong Ruoyao's group concluded their performance.
The judges awarded them an exceptionally high score—97.
Next up was the sixth group.
The lights dimmed briefly before brightening again, revealing eight girls standing on stage.
"Wait, are they wearing no makeup?"
"They actually went on stage bare-faced? That takes guts."
"The one in the middle is Rong Yu. Honestly, she's decent-looking, but she’d only appeal to grandpas in their 70s."
"Performing without makeup on a live broadcast is so disrespectful to the stage."
"People who don’t respect the stage don’t deserve to debut..."
Old Master Ji frowned. "Ah Yuan, what’s going on? Why didn’t your great-grandmother’s group wear makeup?"
Ji Zhiyuan’s expression turned serious. "Hold on, I’ll look into it."
Without elaborate makeup or flashy hairstyles, the eight girls sang a youthful pop song with pure, clean vocals.
When the chorus hit, they shed their glamorous outer dresses—costumes provided by the show that required heavy makeup to match. Underneath, they revealed simple white knee-length dresses. In perfect sync, they kicked off their ill-fitting high heels and danced barefoot like ethereal sprites...
The live audience was stunned.
"The natural look and white dresses are perfect—this is what youth should be!"
"So much better than overdone makeup. Young girls should shine like this."
"Paid commenters, take a break. They look awful without makeup—stop forcing praise. They’re not even close to Yao Yao’s level!"
"Has Yao Yao conquered the galaxy or something? Why does everyone have to compete with her?"
"..."
The four judges, initially unimpressed, were now visibly moved.
Li Sheng, a male singer who dominated Asia two decades ago, nodded. "A bold and touching performance. Young people truly dare to take risks."
"Their energy perfectly aligns with our show’s theme," added female singer Liang Hongyu. "No amount of makeup could replicate this effect. I’m giving them 98. Any objections?"
"I disagree," said judge Cui Yuan, adjusting his glasses. "Two voices were too low, three were too sharp—there were pitch issues..."
Li Sheng chuckled. "Rong Ruoyao’s group also had pitch problems. For newcomers, it’s normal. Otherwise, why would we judges be here?"
Cui Yuan fell silent.
The final score flashed—98.
The live chat exploded.
"How did they score higher?!"
"Yao Yao and Lisa’s powerhouse team only got 97. This is rigged!"
"The judges are playing favorites!"
"Can’t you just admit they were amazing?"
As soon as they left the stage, the seven girls lifted Rong Yu in celebration.
It was Rong Yu who had insisted on the bare-faced performance.
Five of them had opposed it, but with no better ideas, they’d reluctantly agreed.
Who knew their desperate gamble would become the show’s highlight? Though a few groups remained, none were likely to surpass this score.
While the girls rejoiced, Rong Ruoyao stood nearby, her expression dark.
Being outshone by Lisa was one thing.
But losing to Rong Yu by a single point felt like being crushed by a mountain. She couldn’t steady her emotions.
She didn’t see anything extraordinary in Rong Yu’s performance—why had the judges scored it so high?
The first round soon concluded. Rankings were withheld from the live audience to build suspense.
All contestants gathered in a large hall, awaiting the results.
Unsurprisingly, Rong Yu’s group took first place in the team category, with each member earning 100 bonus points.
Rong Ruoyao’s team ranked second, earning 90 points each.
Next came individual popularity votes.
A panel of 1,000 dedicated viewers cast three votes each.
"First place: Rong Ruoyao, with 830 votes. Combined with her team score, her total is 920."
"Second place: Lisa, with 795 votes. Total: 885."
"..."
"Seventy-third place: Rong Yu, with 51 votes. Total: 151."
Though the live broadcast had ended, Old Master Ji accessed the internal footage.
He slammed the table. "What nonsense! Why does your great-grandmother have so few votes? What’s unlikeable about her?"
Ji Zhiyuan sipped his tea silently.
Thanks to the old man’s earlier comments, Rong Ruoyao and Lisa’s fans had deliberately snubbed Rong Yu in retaliation.
Had her team not won, she’d have ranked at the bottom.
Before he could explain, his assistant messaged:
"President, Rong Yu’s group was originally assigned a makeup artist. The director revealed that Secretary Lan needed urgent touch-ups in the dressing room, so they were temporarily diverted."
Ji Zhiyuan’s fingers paused.
